Human Resource Management Assessment: Training and Development in a Selected Company

Bupa company is seen as one of the leading residential aged care providers with 50 care homes around New Zealand. Furthermore, the Bupa New Zealand is part of Bupa Australia New Zealand Market Units which includes personal and corporate health insurance, hospitals and care homes for old people (Bupa). Even though having long history and huge operation system, Bupa New Zealand has been criticized for its undertrained and low quality in recent years, which leads to one patient die and various dangerous situations for the elderly people. It is necessary to develop a training program for Bupa to solve the previous problems. To develop a good training program, there are several steps.

Firstly, managers need to conduct the need assessments through organization, functional, and individual level to figure out the issues that can be solved by training. Secondly, it is important to ensure the employees’ readiness for training before creating the learning environment. Also, ensuring the transfer of training is required before developing an evaluation plan. Finally, managers have to select appropriate training methods and monitor and evaluate the program.

To support for the training program, this report will provide some recommendations basing on the steps. Firstly, this report will conduct the need assessments by providing some evidence and research about dangerous situations in Bupa. Secondly, it will discuss learning theories to create the learning environment. Also, establishing the evaluation plan before recommending some training methods is necessary.

First of all, there are many situations that are complained by the patients’ family about Bupa treatment. The Cambridge’s Bupa-run St Kilda Care Home was taken to the Disputes for its negligent treatment on Robert Love’s mother, who died in February after five painful months at St Kilda. Particularly, Mr. Robert described the St Kilda as “misadventure, mistreatment, and abuse”. He found his mother shivering in a urine-soaked bed with just a thin shawl covering in a wide-open window room with the call bell out of reach. Besides, Ms. Evans also complained about her mother treatment with St Kilda as “understaffed, undertrained, and often just appalling”. Even though in the hot summer weather, there was no fan or air – conditioning in her mother’ room. After complaining, staff tried to open doors in the dining room and lounge; however, there was only windows opened few inches in the bedroom. In addition, in March, Bupa also was criticized due to the substandard care providing to the 74 years old man who suffered cancer; it found that staff made multiple medication errors, leading the failure to provide the adequate pain relief. Secondly, after various criticism, an inspection was made in which indicated clearly the undertrained in Bupa. Firstly, staff did not have the ability to treat and manage wound; even the wound champion has not had any external training, causing the concern about what training she has had. Secondly, in the dementia area, the inspection found that only one of ten staff had received the dementia training. Furthermore, caregivers failed to respond to the call bells within the expected three minutes; some bells were left for more than twenty minutes. Additionally, in medical planning, there were two patients who did not have any plans in place to treat their medical needs, and four of twelve long – term care plans had not been evaluated within six months. Finally, in addition to lack of training, Bupa was found as failure in answering formal complaints process. In the case of Ms. Evans, her first complaint was in February, and other issues were raised after that. Nevertheless, her complaints remained unanswered. Also, Mr. Robert Love made numerous formal complaints, but many occasions they were ignored, and he criticized that the system was failing. As a result, he went to Disputes Tribunal because he frustrated with response form Bupa, DHB, and the progress of Health and Disability Commission. In general, it can be seen that there is a big problem with the resolving complaints process as well as the operation of the whole organization. Obviously, it is worth noting that there are two major problems relating to training and development in Bupa organization and individual level. Firstly, in individual issues, there is insufficient high trained staff, causing various negative impacts on patients, particularly the cases of Mr. Love and Ms. Evans. Secondly, due to lack of unification and communication in operating the organization, Bupa was failed to take and resolve the complaints from patients.

Basing on Noe (2013, to create the learning environment, there are four considerations such as the opportunities for trainees to practice and receive feedback, the training content, prerequisites, and learning through both observation and experiences. This section will discuss about learning objectives and learning theories.

There are two major learning objectives for Bupa:

• Improving individual skills and knowledge in the aged care industry
• Enhancing the communication of the organization to improve the complaint system.

Due to two objectives, the social learning theory might be appropriate to implement. The social learning theory is observing others who trainees believe as credible and knowledgeable people. Furthermore, in this theory, people realize that they cannot work alone; thus, this theory encourages coordination in order to come up with grand solutions across all sectors of the organization. Additionally, the theory includes directly experience and observation. In term of experience, it can be applied for the caregivers who have worked in Bupa for a long time; therefore, they have noticed their weakness and limitations, leading to improvement in their individual knowledge and skills. Besides, by observing, trainees can gain experience from the criticisms about Bupa, and the knowledge of long – time caregivers. As a result, trainees can not only learn new knowledge and skills but also improve the connection and communication with the trainers. An application for this theory can be seen in recommendation of McArdle (2015), which is the storytelling in training. As McArdle (2015) stated that stories can help trainees memorize longer, Bupa can implement by using the stories of caregivers not only in Bupa but also in the industry to inspire and provide information for trainees. Also, creating a discussion board in which trainees can discuss, and argue about their new knowledge and skills can increase the connection in a team.

Due to the improvement of technology, there has been a huge increase in using social media in training process leading to the new social learning theory that managers should concern. According to Bingham & Conner (2015), the new social learning theory combines social media tools and the shift in organization culture, which encourages the transfer of knowledge and connection people in enjoyable ways. Therefore, it is a powerful approach to share and discover new skills. Also, it can be seen that the new theory uses the similar concept with the traditional one; but it includes the social media tools causing the stronger connection and the more enjoyable in learning skills and knowledge in Bupa.

It is necessary to create the evaluation plans including outcome measures and measurement strategies before deciding the training methods.

It can be seen that Bupa can apply the skill – based outcomes due to many reasons. The skill-based outcome is used to access the level of technical, motor skills, or the behavior; also, it can evaluate the acquisition, learning of skills and on the job training. In addition, the skill – based outcomes can illustrate both level two and three in the Kirkpatrick’s framework such as learning and behavior. In the Bupa situation, due to lack of skills and knowledge causing negative impact on patients, it is required to test the training of technical skills. Furthermore, caregiver is a difficult job relating to old people and their health. Therefore, behavior testing is extremely important to ensure the high-quality outcome of the training program in the aged care industry.

Firstly, Bupa can apply the observation strategy. Trainers can directly evaluate the skills improvement, and enhance the practical knowledge for trainees at the same time of observing. Also, giving feedback and knowledge face to face, it helps enhance the connection between trainees and trainers. Secondly, the rating system can be helpful by testing the behavior aspects of the trainees. Additionally, it improves the communication and coordination between caregivers as they can recognize and solve their behavior limitations. Finally, the pre and post- test is extremely important. Applying the test, the trainers can recognize the improvement of the program. Furthermore, due to the fact that Bupa has had various criticisms on their staff skills, it is necessary to resolve the problem as soon as possible. Hence, the pre and post-test are appropriate at the moment due to the less cost and time – consuming with medium effectiveness.

Due to the unpredictable characteristics in aged care area, the caregivers have to have not only the knowledge and specialist skills, but also the problem – solving skills. Therefore, the simulation method is an effective way. Particularly, by using the simulation, managers can represent the real life situations, and trainees have to make decision leading to the outcomes that similar to the specific fob. As mentioned before, the training program will be based on the social learning which includes observation and experience, there is a specific way to implement the simulation method for rest – home industry. Firstly, trainees can observe the skills from the experience caregivers, then trying to experience by themselves. Furthermore, the managers can create real situations that might accidently happen in their work in which trainees must take appropriate actions in order to ensure health safety. Besides, according to Noe (2013), simulation helps develop the managerial skills for both team and individual. Therefore, managers can implement the method to improve the communication among organization and the solving complaints system.

The second objective of the training program in Bupa is improving the complaints resolving system in which they need to improve the communication and operation among the organization. Therefore, the team training method is very important as helping trainee understand the main objectives and the operation of the system in general. Team training includes: behavior, knowledge, and attitude.

• Behavior: Caregivers need to communicate not only with patients but also with each other to coordinate, adapt, and complete the tasks.
• Knowledge: To function effectively, it is necessary to provide the structure and practices of solving complaints system to the staff.
• Attitude: Employees need to have strong connection and belief toward each other so as to create strong operation among the organization

Due to the improvement of technology, and development of social media, e-learning has become popular and has to be implemented in Bupa to get faster and higher efficiency. Furthermore, it can be seen that simulation can be based on the e – learning approach via two types. Firstly, branching story presents the real situations before asking for decision of the trainees. After that, the computer will give feedback basing on their decision. The second type is virtual lab in which trainees interact with computer that represents their job. Implementing to caregivers training program, managers can create video lectures and real situation with interaction with the computer approach, leading to the observation and experience at the same time. Furthermore, caregivers should receive feedback and discussion board in which they can improve the coordination in the organization. In a little more detail, to create the practices and software simulation, there are some special tools such as Adobe Captivate, TechSmith Camtasia, and Articulate Storyline and Articulate Studio. An example of the demand in e – learning in rest-home industry is the Dementia E-learning program in Hong Kong, which is the AdCarer. com. There are three parts which are skill learning, caregiver self-care, and online intensive support. Within the AdCarer. com, caregivers will be provided comprehensive knowledge and skills, and the social network for exchanging caring experience.

Furthermore, it builds the self – awareness and self – help skills for caregivers. Finally, there will be advice from professionals in dementia care. In general, it can be seen that applying this technique to Bupa caregivers, it will enhance not only the skills and knowledge of individual, but also the coordination and communication between caregivers, leading to efficiency to solve the complaints.

In conclusion, there are two major problems which are untrained staff and individual skills, and the weak connection causing the failure of resolving complaints system of Bupa. Therefore, Bupa needs to conduct a training program. In the learning environment section, managers apply the social learning theory basing on observation and experience for caregivers; however, it is also important to notice about the new social learning theory. Furthermore, among evaluation, Bupa should use the outcome measures and strategies such as giving feedback, rating system and pre and post-test. Finally, this report also recommends some training methods such as simulation, team training, and the e – learning simulation.